U.S. Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection officials discovered 21 individuals on a small boat approximately 14 miles west of San Clemente Island, California, on Wednesday. The discovery was prompted by a report from a "good Samaritan" observing a suspected smuggling vessel.
Upon boarding, authorities found a 56-year-old man who was unresponsive. A Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Ventura responded to perform a medical evacuation. The crew administered CPR during the transport to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles. Hospital staff were able to restore the man's pulse, but he ultimately did not survive.
The other 20 individuals were taken into custody and transferred to U.S. Border Patrol. The origin of the boat is currently unknown. San Clemente Island is part of California's Channel Islands archipelago, located about 78 miles west of San Diego.
Images from the Coast Guard depicted a small vessel crowded with occupants, many wearing life jackets. 
